Siblings
by K.E.Alvarez
Summary: Garp once again tempts fate, takes advantage of Dadan's 'hospitality', and helps save a life. T for mild dark themes and language.
1. Chapter 1

_**Well, no one's more surprised than me over this new story. I just came up with it today and it's the first time in months that I've felt compelled to write so I've latched onto it as fast as I could. Let's hope it lasts, huh?**_

* * *

The dinghy lurched with the jolt of new cannon fire and plummeted towards the inky mess of waves below. Robin tried to regain control of the decent but the rope burned through her palms like fire until she was forced to release it. She was knocked down on impact, swallowing a cry as her hands fell forward automatically to catch her, but she quickly lunged for the oars to put distance between her and the large vessel from which she had escaped.

She couldn't hear specific shouts over rumble of thunder, howling wind, and rain but her senses told her she would soon become the target of conversation onboard, if she wasn't already. Those marine vessels were drawing very close, if the increased accuracy was anything to go by.

Robin called upon her power to grab the extra oars and started paddling, praying to whatever had watched over her these last ten years that the waves would continue to miss her until she was safely out of range.

With a CRACK that made her flinch violently, a chunk of railing was blasted away into the rain.

The young historian looked up to see her former captain gesturing wildly in her direction, pistol still faintly smoking despite the rain. To her utter dread, two more crewmen joined him and she just barely ducked down below the railing to dodge their fire.

 _I guess negotiations for my trade didn't go so well._ She thought bitterly. She just hoped their aim wouldn't be good enough to sink her.

Her horror increased as the marine's attack siren finally overpowered all else to reach her ears. With a wince she made extra arms appear again to take up the oars, keeping herself well shielded in case her former crewmates were still present. A new volley of bullets told her they were.

She lay there, curled up and drenched in rain and sea water, desperately trying to remember _why_. What was she fighting for again?

Even if her eyes had been open then, she couldn't have done anything about the wall of water descending on them all. The large ship swayed dangerously on impact. She never had a chance.

The violence of it hit her like nothing she had ever felt, leaving a white noise of _pain_ before her body even registered the actual seawater and she was filled with the helplessness that accompanied her curse. The chances that she would remain conscious after such an impact was not lost on her. She only held her breath for a moment before realizing that no one was going to come for her. No chance of rescue this time.

She vaguely wondered if all Devil Fruit users were forced to feel themselves drown like this. If the Sea held back it's devastating fury just for them, just so they could feel the full impact of this curse.

As her vision faded to black explosions lightened the ocean's surface and falling debris sent jets of bubbles to further break the calm. She wondered if she could finally rest now.

* * *

 _ **Pretty short, but I liked this place to rest for a chapter break.**_

 _ **This story's going to be a little darker than my other ones, by the way. Not to say there won't be fluff eventually, I don't think I'm capable of completely ridding that from a story of mine.**_

 _ **Robin's about 18 here.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Urgh... really not sure how this turned out but it's gotta start somewhere, right?**_

 _ **Warning for dark thinking and… not quite suicidal thoughts, but apathy at living, I guess.**_

* * *

When consciousness returned, it was anything but the pleasantness of death she had sometimes been known to contemplate. First of all _everything hurt_ , this was the first clue that told her she was surprisingly still alive.

Ever the cautious wanted woman, she intended to steadily feign sleep until she could get a better idea of her surroundings if it hadn't been for that first deliberate breath.

The lungful burned through her throat and lungs like fire and knives and left her gasping and spasming for some kind of purchase and relief. When she was unable to sit up she started coughing violently, further inflaming her throat and setting her eyes and nose to run at the pain.

Just when she was about to start panicking she felt a large hand on her shoulder, guiding her up to sit, the shock of their presence interrupting the attack on her lungs.

The man beside her was fairly young, probably in his late twenties, and wore a worn brown suit and a wide-rimmed fedora to match. He frowned at her as she wheezed in a sharp, surprised breath and started hacking again.

"Here now, try to relax. I know, don't give me that look, but it's not gonna get better if you don't." His voice was deep with an undercurrent of faintly annoyed patience. Like a constant state of being.

Recognizing the wisdom of the statement she paused to reassess herself and fight to control the one thing she could at the moment; her mind. When she felt herself relax minimally she slowly released her breath, feeling the spasms threaten to overtake her again. She allowed herself to continue coughing, but this time kept it in control with the anticipation of the pain and shortness of oxygen.

When she was obviously breathing somewhat normally again, and her face was starting to fade to a less garish red, the man offered her a glass of water.

It was only while lifting her hand to take it that she finally noticed the shackles around her wrists, probably what had prevented her from rising by herself earlier. The man noticed her gaze and smirked a bit but continued to hold out the glass until she took it awkwardly between her hands. The cool surface made her wince as her rope-burned palms made themselves known through the bandages covering them. She puzzled over that a bit as she took a tentative sip of the water, testing its affects on her ragged throat, and noted other swathes of bandages around her arms and felt beneath new, dry clothes. Under her bangs her gaze flashed to the wall behind the man, where his white _Justice_ coat hung near the door.

It was obvious they took her as a potential threat, anyone other than navy on the sea during the storm was bound to be a pirate, but if only… No, she could feel the faint sap of strength that was indicative of Sea Stone in the shackles. They knew she was a Devil Fruit user. Which probably meant they had seen her using her powers, if they had also noted her boat capsizing quickly enough to rescue her. Which definitively meant they knew who she was.

This was all concluded before her second sip of water and she fought to keep her breath steady over the rising panic.

The man rising from his seat drew her attention and he stepped back from the bed to give her a stern look as he reached for his coat.

"I'll be right back, don't try to get up." And the door swung shut behind him.

After a few more sips, she carefully set the glass down on the man's stool and tried stretching her aching limbs. She quickly assessed that, yes, _everything hurt_ and she took a shuddering breath to calm herself again.

 _Ok… I'm wounded and handcuffed with Sea Stone on a Marine ship and they're aware of my identity. How could this be worse._ Her mind quickly supplied her with a sample list of creative examples. _Point._

The cabin she was in didn't look like the infirmary. There was a small tray of medical supplies on the desk nearby but the room lacked the overly sanitized feel and smell that would have given it away. But neither was it a prison cell.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and discovered a simple link of chains around one ankle connected to the bolted bed stand. Another reminder that she wasn't going to be underestimated.

Robin attempted to stand anyway but found the strength she had somehow held onto through the storm quickly disappeared, and sat back heavily on the mattress' edge, breathing heavily. She gave the handcuffs a brief, contemptuous look. Sleep, from sapped strength and stress, was tugging at her senses but she fought it heedlessly. That man had said he would be back shortly and she didn't want to be left even more defenseless in his or anyone's presence.

True to her expectation, loud steps and conversation were soon heard quickly approaching the cabin door. It flew open roughly and the large man on the other side ducked through the doorframe.

Robin shivered in fear. While she hadn't recognized the subordinate, who stepped in behind his superior and closed the door, she definitively knew this man. His eccentric headdress alone would be indicative, which he removed to place on the table by the medical tray with Robin's glass as he seated himself on the stool before her.

Garp, the Fist.

If she had held any hope of escaping, it vanished now.

Trembling slightly at what was to come, she lifted her chin defiantly to meet his gaze. "Well?" She asked; stated, more like.

Garp lifted an eyebrow. "Well what?" He seemed almost amused, the old bastard.

She sat up as straight as she could on the uneven surface and crossed her legs, trying to look as regal as she could under the circumstances. "I imagine you're here to gloat and tell me all about the hell I'm about to endure and how much I deserve it." She tried to sound neutral and uncaring but a bit of bitterness crept into her tone halfway through. She refused to acknowledge it.

Something swept over Garp's previously amused face, but he quickly reaffirmed his expression. "Is that how these things are supposed to work? I must have missed that meeting. Right, Bogard?"

The man behind him sighed. "I would not be surprised, sir."

Garp grunted. "Well, I've never been a man for convention. But I must say, Nico…" He tilted his head a bit as he addressed Robin again. "It's rather impressive you've managed to elude the navy for ten years. Can't have been easy, especially in your younger years."

The man's words grated on Robin's nerves like a live wire. _It's too bad he doesn't have a devil fruit…_ She thought, _but I bet these cuffs would still hurt if I hit him across the face with them._ She knew her impassive mask was slipping but Garp continued to talk.

"But then, I suppose a genius scholar like yourself didn't take long to learn the best ways to survive. I think we bagged more pirate crews going after you than any single bounty hunter yet." He chuckled good naturedly, further inflaming Robin's rage. "You were the youngest archeologist to pass some test, right? Did it have a name…?"

As he tried to engage her in conversation, Robin's gaze fell and her shoulders shook. But not with fright this time.

"What does it matter?" She whispered.

"Oh, well, it seems like a nifty thing to boast about in conversation. Fancy credentials always ring very-"

"What?" She hissed, head bowed and bangs obscuring her eyes as she tried to maintain some semblance of control. "O'Hara is gone." She states through gritted teeth. "Any privilege of being associated with it is _ten years_ gone, along with the lives of all-" Here she chokes and falls silent.

Silence stretches in the room but her captors do nothing to break it. Robin stubbornly refuses to even breathe, she knows it will come out as a sob at this point, and waits for her pulse to calm as her face grows red with the effort.

Finally, after several long moments, she lets out an only slightly shaky breath.

Her voice is dead when she continues.

"Just… tell me where you intend to take me first and be done with this charade."

"'First'?" Garp asks questioningly.

"I imagine the Gorosei will want to have me interrogated before they send me to Impel Down. Or straight to the gallows." She states matter of factly.

Garp gives a displeased scowl that Robin doesn't see. "Oh? Pretty perceptive."

"It's obvious."

"I dunno. Sounds like you've given this substantial thought."

"One of the things I've learned in 'the best ways to survive,'" Robin air quotes the phrase, her voice coming out harsh and mocking, making Garp wince. "Is to always be prepared. Lack of surprise can cause just as much psychological damage as a knife, at times."

"So you've foreseen your death, too?"

Robin takes on an almost cheerful tone and lifts her head for them to see a faint smile. "Of course. Almost daily. The great thing about being a 'genius scholar' is that I can be quiet imaginative."

Robin watches in glee as the two men squirm a bit under her macabre words, as people usually do. The silence doesn't last long, though.

"You want to die then, miss Nico?" Bogard asks quietly. Skeptically.

Robin seriously ponders the question, caught off guard by the politeness of address.

Does she? Does she want to die? The prospect of taking her own life, while a constant option she's aware of in the back of her mind, is one she still shies away from with her whole being. No, she would never kill herself if left alone.

But she was never left alone, was she?

As she was now, would she have the strength to find an opening to escape? If an opportunity _presented_ itself, would she have the emotional strength to seize it?

In the last half hour since she discovered her, probably final, capture… had she not already accepted it? And maybe even breathed a sigh of relief that everything was finally almost over?

But she was the last of O'Hara's legacy, the last of her family and friends. Didn't that mean something? Didn't she need to continue the work that they could not? Had they not entrusted her with the True History?

 _And when was the last time you felt the rush of learning something new about the History?_ A harsh inner voice demanded of her. _When had you allowed yourself to feel that joy? Between running for your life from the government, watching your back for betrayal, and keeping yourself alive from famine and the elements… Even the last Poneglyph you found brought nothing but surprise at it's discovery. Is that the attitude of an archeologist faced with their one reason for existence?!_

 _But…_ Her thoughts turned to her dear friends: Dr. Clover, the archeologists, Saul. Her mother. Her last words had been a demand for Robin to live.

"No…" Robin finally stated out loud, absently. She awkwardly scooted herself further on the bed until her back was touching the wall. "But then, I haven't really been alive. Have I?"

Robin curled up and seemed content to ponder that question, posed to herself, in her dark train of thought. She was only half aware of the two other occupants of the room.

Bogard, while not completely surprised at the teenager's state of mind, inwardly sighed in resignation over his superior's decisive body language. It was a decision he had fervently tried to discourage in the older man, with the usual amount of success.

"So," Garp called Robin's attention back to him, "it sounds to me like you don't want to die but you don't care if you live." His only response was Robin's tired, but calm, silence. "If that's truly the case, then I have an offer for you. If you're willing to throw away your past." He stated gravely.

Robin frowned slightly.

"I'll take that as interest." When he got no further response. "The pirates you were with were all killed or captured, the last of them shipped off to our lovely underwater prison you mentioned earlier. The majority of those survivors and navy soldiers have witnessed your daring escape attempt. You have guts, kiddo, I have to give you that." He said on a tangent. "Anyway. Point is, your sunken and unrecoverable body has already been reported to HQ. Logistics are a bitch to correct at this point. The details aren't important!" He waves his hands frantically; warding off unwanted questions, probably. He becomes even more serious, almost wary of what he's offering. "You could disappear now and, provided you found a safe place, no one would find you."

Robin's frowned deepened with suspicion. "And you would shelter a criminal? The Demon of O'Hara? Why? If you turned me over you would be greatly rewarded and the government would get the knowledge to awaken the Ancient Weapons."

Garp seemed amused by her questions, but scowled at the last statement. He sighed, suddenly weary, and rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "Those weapons… will not remain dormant forever, whatever they are. That much even I can tell. But we seem to be doing a good enough job of killing as it is, don't you agree? I don't think they need to resurface just yet."

He received another cold stare.

"Right, well… As for 'why'," He looked thoughtful, but the humor was back this time. "I've always wanted a granddaughter."

This was probably the last thing Robin expected to hear.

"What?" She asked flatly.

"Well, I have three grandsons back home but they're quite squirmy when I come to visit. Always hyper and running all over the place when I try to participate in their games and training."

Bogard poorly suppressed a loud cough.

"It would be nice to have someone there to keep an eye on them while I'm away, keep them out of trouble. Plus, more pleasant company when I come to visit."

Robin glanced over at Bogard. "Is he insane?"

"Opinions vary on who you ask." Bogard answered truthfully.

"So? Of course, you'd have to give up your search for your Poneglyphs if you agree. I'll let you think about it."

Robin shook her head in disbelief. "You don't care for your grandsons' safety if you leave me with them? The Gorosei blew up an entire island to erase the Devils of O'Hara, what makes you think they won't do it again to finish the job?"

Garp fixed her with a look as he stood, almost approving. "Thanks for the concern, but you're the least of the secrets I have on that island. One more won't make much of a difference.

She was taken aback at the words, but persisted. This seemed too convenient. "And what if I refuse? You've already reported my death."

He turned away, but his voice was calm nevertheless. "As I mentioned, the Weapons are better off left undiscovered for now. It wouldn't take much to make my report truthful."

The threat almost made her feel better, more confortable, with the situation. Familiar territory, as it were.

"Anyway, I'll give you about a week to think about it." He said as he reached for the door.

"I accept."

He froze, and turned with a wry grin. "Awfully quick, don't you think?"

Robin turned away disdainfully. "I'm dead any other way I look at it. I don't have much of a choice."

Garp pouted a bit at that but quickly changed it to a grin as a thought struck him. "You can call me 'Grandpa' from now on, then."

Robin turned back with a sweet smile. "The only way I'd call you that is sarcastically."

His booming laughter would be a headache trigger from then on.

* * *

 _ **Last time(s) Garp visited Dawn Island he found out Sabo had joined Ace and Luffy as brothers, so he includes him as his grandson.**_

 _ **It's hard to keep Robin in character, she's kinda at that place she was in the Alabasta tombs right before Luffy saved her if that helps.**_

 _ **This story's supposed to have a darkish feel, but I'm not sure I can carry that well in the next chapters. So I don't know when the next chapter will be out, although I have a basic (and fairly obvious) plan for the story and where it will go.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Sorry for this.**_

* * *

After the bruising receded to a tolerable ache Robin was allowed to roam outside the cabin. Following her acceptance her shackles had been removed, much to her relief and suspicion, but she was still cautioned against moving around too much. Now, a week later, she could finally walk around in the fresh air and sunlight; it would have been relaxing if not for her predicament. Years of running from the marines had made her too hyper-alert to ever completely relax and every new face sent a jolt of adrenaline into her bloodstream.

And then there was Garp.

The old man seemed fully set on the idea that Robin would be his granddaughter and had taken to finding her in every hiding place she had found to give loud accounts of his years on the seas. It wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for the old man's fixation on food, fighting, skirting Marine policy, and just how _loud_ he was.

And so began Robin and Garp's elaborate game of hide and seek.

It only took a few days for Robin to realize that Garp seemed to _expect_ the more secluded parts of the ship and seemed to know them well. That led to Robin hiding herself in plain sight.

Which led to her current situation of sitting on a barrel on deck, dressed in Bogard's 'borrowed' suit and reading a thick tome she had liberated from one of the cabins.

The vice-admiral had already walked by twice in the last hour, with huffs of frustration and barely a greeting.

Bogard himself had also been by but besides a slight frown he didn't say anything. She thought he seemed somewhat impressed and amused. _Probably just glad he's not the one being bothered_ , she thought.

The soldiers mostly kept to themselves; apparently they all had the policy of never questioning Garp's antics. Plausible deniability, or something. They seemed quite adept, whatever the case.

Alas, after a week Garp seemed to catch on and was back to constantly pestering his adoptive granddaughter. By then, however, she had managed to round up just about every book on the ship. This was when she put her foot down.

Halfway through Garp's latest boisterously loud tale she loudly snapped her hardcover shut and, once she had his attention, fixed him with an especially icy glare.

"I am trying to read. If you _must_ talk, please lower your voice."

That only kept him away for two days of sulking, unfortunately.

* * *

Dawn Island was slowly approaching on the horizon when Garp ushered Robin into her cabin and told her to change into her 'disguise,' which was an extra recruit uniform. With plenty of visible distaste she complied and then went to wait for landing.

Garp, of course, went looking for her.

"So," he started with no preamble, "are you excited to meet your new brothers?"

She continued to stare ahead.

"New island. Thoughts on that?"

Silence. Painful silence.

"Vague curiosity over the future in general?"

She let out a long breath. "If they are anything like you, I can't imagine why they might need someone to babysit them." She said dryly. Although that was a lie, if they were _anything_ like Garp they should have plenty of eyes on them.

"Oh no, no. Not babysit, just… Keep an eye on them? I know you can do that, right?" He winked and nudged her conspiratorially, some attempt at humor that she shot down with a glare, then sobered up. "But seriously, they're prone to jumping into situations that are a bit much for them, so I think they need someone to look out for them. The road to a powerful marine is full of danger, after all."

She grimaced. "So I'll be looking after training Marines? Don't blame me if I corrupt them."

Garp just laughed.

They soon made landing, disembarked, and Garp strode off into town decisively, not even glancing at Bogard or Robin to see if they would follow. After a few minutes he explained that he wanted to check in with a friend before going to meet the boys.

They finally walked up the short steps to an old house in need of a new coat of paint and Garp pounded on the door. Robin winced as the noise carried down the street; it could probably be heard blocks away.

After a few minutes of waiting and more 'knocking' Garp huffed out a breath and turned on his heel, once again marching off. Robin frowned but followed.

Next time they stopped was in front of a well-maintained pub, the sign over the entrance naming it 'Party's Bar', which seemed to be closed, to Garp's frustration.

Garp spun around to the nearest passerby. "Hey! Do you know where Makino and the Mayor are?"

The man started a bit at the loud address but answered promptly. "Uh- If they're not here they probably went to visit Luffy. Although…" The man glanced at the pinned 'closed' sign in the pub's window and lowered his voice, stepping closer to the old marine. "To tell you the truth, we think there might be something wrong with Makino."

Garp raised his brows at that and asked the man to elaborate.

He folded his arms and continued. "It's just… A little over a week ago she just closed the bar up completely for a few days. She wouldn't say why, but she's been looking very pale and tired ever since. She opened it again recently, but just for a few hours a day and we know she's going up to the mountain every day." The man shook his head and looked at Garp pleadingly. "If you see her, tell her to take it easy, ok? If she's sick she should just rest and ask for help."

Garp looked more and more troubled throughout the talk and now appeared downright grim. He nodded decisively. "I'll do that. Thank you." He strode off towards the mountain without another glance.

Robin started at the abrupt departure and sped to match his pace. All traces of the old man's humor were gone and it left her feeling uneasy.

Bogard stepped up beside Garp. "Something happened."

Garp grunted. "We've had choppy transponder connection ever since that storm. If they tried to call we might not have received it."

"Maybe it wasn't an emergency?" Bogard tried, but sounded unsure.

Garp was silent for a moment. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Robin remained silent through the quiet exchange and afterwards, during the uphill walk through thick forest. She could hear echoes of beasts in the distance but, besides keeping a sharper eye on her surroundings, remained unconcerned.

It was nearly an hour walk before they broke from the trail and came upon a clearing with a large house in the middle of it. A large group of people had gathered outside and turned to their group as soon as the movement registers. Most of the men shouted 'GARP?!' in horror and ran into the house, slamming the door behind them. Of the remaining four, two men looked terrified but stood their ground, one woman looked pissed, and the remaining old man looked disapproving.

Robin could feel the heavy atmosphere as the silence encompassed them. They waited until Garp approached before saying anything.

"Garp… Your timing is perfect, as usual." Robin thought she heard faint sarcasm from the old man, probably the mayor they were looking for earlier, but the large red-haired woman snorted loudly at the statement and drew the attention away.

"Perfect, my ass! You should have been here a week ago!" She gritted out from around her cigarette.

"Ah, yeah, sorry about that. Our Den Den Mushi's were down after the last storm. Did something happen?"

At the question the four shared looks full of dread until the red-haired woman's eyes landed on Robin. "Who's that?" She demanded suspiciously.

Robin tensed as Garp dragged her forward with a hand to her back and a laugh. "Glad you asked, Dadan! This is Robin, she's my new grandchild and she's going to be staying with you and the boys from now on!" At the woman's horrified look he added. "Don't worry, she can take care of herself and I've asked her to keep an eye on the boys."

If possible, the silence afterwards gets even more awkward.

"Garp…" Dadan gritted out, a hand rubbing at her suspiciously watery eyes. "You have the worst timing in the world."

Garp looked between them all, puzzled, and the old man with the cane seemed to take pity on him and spoke. "Garp, Sabo is dead."

Dead silence.

Robin could feel an old emotion rising up but pushed it back and schools her face.

Bogard was frozen, shadowed face making it hard to determine his expression but the frown lines around his mouth were deeper than usual.

Garp just gaped at the old man in shock. "What?" He breathed. "How- _WHO DID THIS_?!" Garp raged and a dangerous air filled the clearing.

The other men seemed to be trying to placate the old marine but the woman, Dadan, had less pity and overrode their voices with a clear statement.

"It was a Celestial Dragon."

Silence.

Robin felt sick to her stomach. She knew of the Tenryuubito, of course, and their connection to the marines. There would be no justice for Garp. No justice for-.

Robin walked away, turning sharply before her broken mask can be seen. She muttered condolences and a quick, 'I'll give you some privacy,' before she walked towards the forest edge to sit on a tree root and calm herself.

Don'tthinkdon'tthinkdon'tthinkdon'tthinkaboutthemdon'tthinkdon'tthinkDON'TTHINKDON'TTHINK

"Nico?"

Robin nearly jumped at Bogard's lightly concerned voice, much closer than she's confortable with.

"Are you alright?"

She settled on a calm smile and laughed lightly without meeting his eyes. "Am I the one you should be asking? Your commander just lost a grandson." She just wanted him _away_.

Bogard turned back to the small group who appeared to be in conversation, though Garp had a visible slump to his shoulders. "Yes…but your behavior surprised us all. We didn't think you had become so… interested, so quickly."

Her blood boiled at the statement and she threw caution to the wind to openly scowl at him. "A little boy was _murdered_ , I didn't realize that required some sort of emotional certificate."

He stared at her in surprise for a moment, lightly mouthing 'emotional certificate,' before shaking his head and readopting a neutral expression. "No, I suppose it doesn't."

"ROBIN! BOGARD! GET OVER HERE!" Garp yelled, not even bothering to turn around.

Robin stubbornly waited for Bogard to take the lead before they walked back to the others.

Garp rubbed at his face tiredly as they stepped up beside him. "Where are Ace and Luffy now?"

The mayor gestured with his cane at a faint trail off to the side. "Luffy's been sitting by the shore every day now. Makino's with him. Ace…"

"Ace has been venting his anger on the beasts in the forest. We're gonna be opening a butchery at the rate he's going." Dadan finished.

Garp frowned. "I don't think you should be leaving him alone."

Dadan bristled. "Oh, he won't go looking for revenge. I think it's been made abundantly clear how utterly _powerless_ he is. Maybe you would have known that if you-!" As her rant grew in volume her two subordinates drug her away to calm down.

Garp just shook his head and turned to the Mayor. "I'm going to go look for Ace. Maybe we'll talk a bit, but if you hear fighting don't be alarmed."

The Mayor gave him a disapproving scowl. "Really, Garp? Don't you know any other way of spending time with your grandchildren?"

Garp responded with a soft chuckle, all exuberance gone, then turned to Robin. "Would you go to the shore and tell Makino and Luffy that I'm back? They don't have to return, I'll be by after I find Ace."

The Mayor stiffened a bit and interjected, "I'm not sure you want to be introducing new people to the boys right now, Garp. They might think you're trying to replace Sabo." He lifted a placating hand as Garp started to protest. "I know it's not your intention, and it might not even cross Luffy's mind, but Ace is probably the one hurting the most right now and he most certainly _will believe that_."

Garp's shoulders slumped further and he gave a faint nod. "You're right. But Robin still needs to stay here; I suppose we'll just have to keep her adoption a secret."

"Kidnapping." Robin deadpanned.

"Rescue." Garp compromised with a smile.

Robin huffed and rolled her eyes at the old man's faint grin.

"All right, I'm off then. Go on and find Makino, won't you Robin?"

Robin frowned, "Shouldn't Bogard do it? This Makino doesn't even know me."

"Bogard's going to stay here and explain your situation to Dadan and the Mayor, now get going. Unless you want to do _that_." Garp waved her off as he walked towards the tree line.

Throwing him one last cursory glare, Robin stalked off, deliberately avoiding the curious stares of the others.

By the time Robin began to hear the sound of crashing waves she had calmed down somewhat, cringing at her increasing lack of control but confident that this next meeting couldn't be any worse.

* * *

 _ **At first there was going to be a lot more yelling at Garp, but… poor guy, he just heard his grandson was killed and he can't do anything. At least if they were bandits or pirates he could have killed them. (I wonder how much of Luffy's auction house punch was just for Hachi…?)**_

 _ **I feel like Robin is slowly spiraling into OOCness, gotta watch that. Next chapter's will be blamed on Luffy's big brown eyes.**_

 _ **You wouldn't believe how difficult this was to write; I even had an outline! This chapter was actually supposed to go up through the meeting with Luffy, but… I got impatient and guilty of people mentioning Sabo in the reviews… And, again, not sure when the next chapter will be up, sorry.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Brace yourselves.**

* * *

Waves created a muted thunder that led Robin to the shore. She could also hear far off cries from the seagulls but it seemed like all the usual sounds were… distant. Muted. Muffled.

The world was holding it's breath.

Robin stepped around one last tree and caught sight of the two she had been sent to talk to.

There was a woman with long, dark green hair sitting beside a small boy. She was rubbing his back as he lay prone on the ground, sleeping perhaps, and sang a melancholic tune that seemed familiar to Robin. Robin furrowed her brow, trying to place it, but in the end she stepped closer to just deliver the message.

She was only a few paces away when it came to her, the now discernible lyrics floating away on the breeze. She had never heard it sung this way before…

 _Now comes a storm through the far-off sky_

 _Now the waves are dancing, Beat upon the drums_

 _If you lose your nerve this breath could be your last_

 _But if you just hold on, The morning sun will rise_

Robin had heard these lyrics over and over countless times throughout the years, on each and every ship she boarded it seemed. But it was different. It had always been sun among raucous laughter with drunken slurs and crashes of broken bottles. Listening to it here, though, on a quiet island away from prying eyes with such a slow and soft beat…

 _Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho…_

Robin could just make out the little boy's clumsy cadence, humming and singing alternatively along with his guardian. She could now see how he held his straw hat down over his head to hide his face, even as he continued to hum.

 _Going to deliver Bink's Sake!_

 _Today, and tomorrow, our dreams through the night!_

 _Waving our goodbyes, we'll never meet again!_

 _But don't look so down, For tomorrow night the moon will also rise!_

Just as the woman reached the last line of the verse she happened to look down at her charge and smile slightly, sadly.

That's also when she must have seen Robin in her peripheral vision, because she looked up with a smile, perhaps expecting to see someone else. She tensed, leaning closer to her charge and abruptly cutting off her song, plunging them back into the sounds of the seaside.

"Makino?" Robin heard from beneath the oversized straw hat.

'Makino' kept her hand on the boy's back, while she watched Robin warily, her eyes flickered down the uniform Robin had forgotten she had still been wearing. "Who are you?" She asked calmly, belying the tenseness in her form.

Robin considered smiling, trying one of the thousands of techniques she had nearly perfected over the years to coerce people into trusting her. But… She didn't. Maybe it was the emotional turmoil she had been through and the glimpse of even a sliver of relief but she decided she could drop it here. No dangers to protect herself from. No one to impress. No 'future' to look out for.

As she stood on this sea cliff, surrounded by the sounds she was so familiar with yet never really listened to, confronted with yet another broken family, she realized…

She was free.

How ironic.

She never thought it would feel so empty.

Robin shrugged, realizing the woman in front of her was waiting for an answer and she was probably making her nervous. "I'm Robin. Garp wanted me to tell you he has returned and will come by to talk to his grandson after he finds the… other one…"

Luffy, Robin assumed, had crawled to his knees as she spoke and was now staring at her with wide eyes.

"Grampa is here?" His voice trembled.

Makino put an arm around him, never taking her eyes off Robin. "Garp has never brought another marine here besides Bogard. Who are you?"

Robin smiled slightly, of course this woman wouldn't trust her with just that. "Oh, I'm not a marine. My name is Nico Robin. But you might know me better as the last 'Demon of O'Hara'."

Makino's eyes widened a bit at the nickname but, oddly, it didn't seem to be from alarm. "Are you-"

She stuttered off as Luffy trotted forward, breaking away from his guardian who struggled to stand as he drew nearer to Robin.

"You're a Demon, too?" He said.

His eyes were still red, face covered in dirt, and muddy tear tracks cut through it all. Dirt-caked fingernails held his shirt loosely at the hem in a nervous gesture.

Robin wondered if this was what she looked like to Professor Clover all those year ago…?

She knelt to his eye level and smiled as sincerely as she could. "I am. Why do you ask?"

Luffy's face split into a huge, excited grin that took her breath away. "Me and Ace are Demons too! See?" And he yanked on the side of his mouth, stretching it impossibly to display his gums and teeth on the right side of his face.

From what Robin could tell from her peripheral vision, Makino had some idea that this would happen but had jumped forward a second too late to stop it. Robin felt somewhat sorry for her because of her impulsive charge. She smiled at Luffy's enthusiasm though. "That's very interesting. Which Devil Fruit did you eat, Luffy?"

He beamed at her, letting his cheek snap back into place and causing him to recoil a bit, unperturbed. "I ate the Gum Gum fruit! I'm a rubber man, isn't that cool?"

Robin chuckled, obviously on a topic the boy was more than comfortable pursuing. An incredible difference from herself at that age. "Yes, it is very cool. Do you want to know which one I ate?"

Luffy's eyes became like saucers, shining in wonder, and he spoke in a hushed tone. "You ate one too?"

Robin hesitated. Why was he so surprised? Wasn't this what he meant by 'devil'? Was there some other meaning he associated with that word? Like she did? Why would he…? Her eyes flickered to Makino who seemed to be observing the exchange with concerned interest, but focused on Luffy.

Robin felt a bit colder and remembered the circumstances of her arrival here. "I ate the Hana Hana fruit, it allows me to sprout any part of my body on any surface I can see."

Luffy's smile had steadily faded as she spoke, until it settled into an absent grin. "Oh, so it's a mystery fruit."

Robin quirked an eyebrow at him, then chuckled. Makino was covering her eyes and grinning. "Perhaps a demonstration?" Robin said as she extended her arm to the side so it could be completely visible to both spectators. She activated her power and two additional arms sprouted from her elbow; one wiggled its fingers at Luffy in a playful wave.

On his part, Luffy looked like he was going to explode from excitement, his hands fisted in front of his face and his eyes shining. Makino's eyes widened as well.

"Wow! That's really cool, too!"

"Thank you."

Makino stepped closer, resting a hand on Luffy's shoulder.

"Did you see that, Makino?"

"I did." She smiled at him, and then directed it at Robin. "Excuse me for my behavior earlier. But I still don't understand… If you're not a marine, then who exactly are you…? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with your name…" She finished apologetically.

Robin felt she could come to like this woman. Maybe.

"To put it simply… I'm a criminal. Garp took me in after he sunk the pirate ship I was sailing on." She rolled her eyes. "He said he wanted-" She cut herself off. _That had been close._

"YOU'RE A PIRATE?!" Luffy shrieked with excitement, making Robin jump.

"Um-"

"THAT'S SO COOL! Just like Shanks! She's just like Shanks, Makino!" He turned to tug at his companion's skirt excitedly, as if she had missed the information.

"Yes, she is." Makino indulged kindly.

"Actually!" Robin interjected to catch Luffy's attention. "I'm not really a pirate. Not anymore, anyway."

"Oh… Right… Grandpa sunk your ship…" Luffy looked incredibly sad at that. "…was it a good ship?"

Robin was confused by the reaction, perhaps he felt guilty for his grandfather's actions? "Not really, the pirate crew I was sailing with were an unsavory bunch. Uh… They were bad pirates."

Luffy nodded his head sagely to show he knew exactly what he meant. He looked up at Makino seriously. "Yeah, Shanks said that most pirates were bad pirates. Even though he's the best pirate there is. For now, anyways." He turned back to Robin, hands on hips. "You know, when I grow up I'm gonna beat him, though! I'm gonna get the best crew and find the One Piece!" He stated proudly.

Robin was at a loss, struck silent for a moment. "Weren't you… I thought you wanted to be a marine…?"

Luffy made a disgusted face. "No way! That's what grandpa wants but not me! I'm gonna be King of the Pirates! Even if it means grandpa will… chase me…" He finished weakly, a sudden look of horror crossing his features, as if he had just realized this possibility.

"So, Robin!" Makino changed the subject. "Are you working for Garp, then?"

"…Actually… He tells me I'm to stay on this island and… keep an eye on his grandchildren. In return, he won't arrest me as long as I don't continue with my… activities." She finished. She really did not want to be the one to tell them Garp had, for all intents and purposes, adopted her. She could still hardly believe it.

"You're gonna live with us? With me and Ace?" Luffy asked.

"Well… It seems that way...?" Robin felt the conversation start to slip out of her control. Actually, none of this had gone how she had wanted since she started talking to Luffy. Since when did she give away so much personal information?! She frowned at the boy slightly. What was with this child...?

"Are you gonna be our sister?"

Robin froze. Alarms started going off in her mind, the kind that only made themselves known when negotiating on thin ice. She knew it, but… She didn't expect it to happen here. She realized she was floundering in a conversation with an eight year old. She looked up at Makino for some kind of assistance but, seeing her shocked face of realization at Robin's omission, was once again struck silent. _This wasn't how it was supposed to go! Why didn't you just deliver the message and leave?! Are you happy?! Happy you let your guard down again?_

She hears her own voice override the mental one.

"I don't think… it would be right for me to be your sister, Luffy."

Luffy frowned. "Why not?"

"…I don't want you to believe I'm supposed to replace your brother."

Luffy blinked. "Ace wouldn't like that."

Robin nodded and cast her gaze down at her hands, which had interlocked sometime in the conversation without her notice. _So much for nervous gestures._

"It might take him a little bit to like you, but… I think he will! You used to be a pirate, after all! And he wants to be a pirate, too! We're all gonna be the captains of our…" Luffy trailed off abruptly, causing Robin to look up. His eyes were shining. "Or… I mean… We were." His brow scrunched up in frustration. "Sabo always stops me and Ace from fighting… I don't know if we can both be captains if he's…" Luffy's eyes welled up and he looked in down, scrubbing at them furiously and replacing his hat on his head from where it had hung on his back.

When he stopped, but still wouldn't turn around Robin took a deep breath and surrendered herself to the events.

"Luffy, I'm sorry about what happened to your brother."

Luffy nodded.

"I'm not a replacement for him, no one can replace someone you loved." She told him seriously, seeing him peeking through his bangs. She gave him what she hoped was a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry I never got to meet him. But… if you want… you can talk to me about whatever you want. Anything."

Luffy sniffed and turned back to her. "…Ace doesn't like talking. He says it's wimpy and it makes me cry." He clamped his mouth shut, as if fearing more tears. Or the sudden appearance of his sibling.

Robin smiled sadly at him. "I won't tell if you don't."

Luffy watched her for a minute before nodding and giving her a small smile, much more somber than his other ones. He looked down. Then back up at her. "Have you… Did someone you know die?"

Once again taken off guard, _seriously, who was this kid?!,_ she sighed and figured it was only right. "Yes. I lost my family and friends when I was younger…"

"All of them?"

"…all of them." She attempted a smile she knew failed horribly and suddenly finds herself with an armful of eight-year-old.

Luffy's arms wrap around her neck tightly, muffling his voice as he speaks so softly she can only just hear him. "I'd like to hear about them, if it's ok. Maybe we can trade stories?" He asks hopefully.

Robin swallows hard, she can already feel her eyes burning, and nods minutely. She hugs him back for a moment, patting his back awkwardly before gently disengaging and standing up. She tries to subtly wipe at her eyes and she's pretty sure she failed but the other two don't say anything about it, for which she is grateful.

She asks them if they want to stay awhile longer while she heads back but Luffy says he'd like to see his grandfather. She had hoped to get a few minutes alone, but she nods and follows them back to the house.

They hear the shouting before they even break the tree line.

"-YOU USELESS OLD MAN! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!"

Their group stepped into the clearing, walking up to the scene of Garp holding a ten-year-old up by the back of his shirt while he struggled to kick at the marine.

Garp sighed, glancing over at the approaching group. "It… just isn't that easy, Ace. Those people are monsters, even in the navy, but they're monsters with _power_. There's just nothing I can do."

A look of betrayal crossed Ace's face at his grandfather's words but he continued to struggle in his grasp. "You bastard! Sabo didn't do anything to them, but they killed him anyway! They can't just get away with that! Isn't that what the marines are supposed to prevent?! WHY? WHY CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING?"

Garp simply looked at Ace sadly. Truthfully, he had no answer for the boy. None he could accept or would give him peace.

Ace dangled there, breathing heavily and glaring at his grandfather until it was apparent he wasn't going to get an answer. He remained silent until Garp set him down, but he just stood there with his hands clenched and body tense.

"I'll avenge him."

"Ace…"

"I can't do it now. I'm weak. But one day… I'll make it so they never hurt anyone again."

The buzzing of the air in the clearing came to a peak with that statement and the atmosphere started to lift somewhat, though the occupants hadn't even noticed it at the time.

Robin noticed Luffy had taken her hand at some point when he squeezes it. Looking down at him, he wears a resolute expression as he watches his brother make that promise.

Then Ace turns to them and freezes, seeing Robin for the first time.

"Who the hell are you?!"

Makino face palms at that.

"That's Robin, she's your new sister." Garp stated happily. Then, a look of horror coming over his face he yells, "NO, SHE'S NOT! SHE'S JUST LIVING HERE! I DEFINITELY DIDN'T ADOPT HER OR ANYTHING!"

Robin cringes at the display of tactlessness, screwing up her eyes in sympathy. _I guess I could only expect so much from Garp…_

Ace rounds on his grandfather frighteningly slowly. "WHAT."

Makino, bless her heart, stepped forward when Garp started to flounder before his grandson's wrath.

"Ace, I believe Garp means he brought Robin here to shelter her from the marine's search. I don't think… he knew about Sabo when he made that decision." She states gently.

Ace hesitates a bit, frowning up at Makino uncertainly while he tries to maintain his anger.

Luffy trots up beside her to intervene, however. "Yeah! Robin's just here to watch us while grandpa's not here! She's tons of fun! Did you know she used to be-" He was cut off as Ace hit him upside the head, making him cry out.

"YOU IDIOT! We don't need a babysitter! Or, at least, I DON'T! You can do whatever you want, you baby!"

Luffy grabbed at his hat and glared up at his brother. "I'm not a baby, stupid Ace!"

"What was that!?"

"STUUUUPID! STUPID ACE IS A STINK BUTT!"

Garp and Makino had to physically separate the two after that.

"We don't need her! You're just trying to replace Sabo, you bastard!"

"Now, Ace, Robin's just going to keep an eye on you. She's pretty adept at fighting too, if you want her to teach you…"

"I don't need anything from her! Or you! Let go of me!" He finally struggled out of Garp's grip and ran off into the forest.

In the silence, Dadan said, "Nice going, Garp. That was some superb tact."

"What's 'tact'?" Luffy asked.

"Exactly."

Robin sighed and knelt down to Luffy. "Luffy? I think you should take Ace's side on this, ok?"

Luffy cocked his head quizzically. "Why? It's not your fault."

Robin smiled at him. "Ace probably feels like everyone is ganging up on him, he needs someone to be his friend. Just… don't talk to me for awhile, ok?"

Luffy's eyes started to water. "You can't be my sister?"

 _Oh dear._

"I think what Robin-san is saying is that Ace might get mad at you if you talk to her in front of him. So try not to do that." Makino intervened quickly.

"Oh." Luffy sniffed.

Dadan huffed with frustration. "So what, that's it? I get another mouth to feed and I have no say in it?"

Robin looked up at the large red-head. "How do you usually provide for them? I could help."

Dadan's face contorted into a menacing sneer and she leaned in. "We're bandits. We steal what we want and murder anyone who gets in our way. And if you don't like it? TOO BAD! You'll go along with our activities or-"

"All right, that sounds acceptable." Robin interrupted calmly.

"-you'll go hungry- WHAT?!" Dadan exclaimed incredulously.

"If that's what you want me to do then-"

"No. Dadan, I don't want Robin murdering anyone, you hear? Although I'm sure she's completely efficient at it and could get away without anyone noticing, I don't want to force her into that kind of environment again." Garp stated imperiously.

Robin frowned at him but didn't contradict the point.

Dadan just shook her head at it.

Robin turned back to Luffy and whispered. "Just make sure he's not alone."

Luffy looked at her with comprehension and nodded. Then he ran off into the trees after Ace. After a moment Garp runs after him, saying something about 'training.'

Makino tries calling after him but Dadan stops her. "Ace probably needs to let off some steam, better that it be on Garp." And Makino subsides with a worried frown. Bogard, who had been standing in the shadows, walks after his superior silently, offering no explanation.

"How did Garp take it?" Makino asks after a minute.

Dadan sighs. "Who knows? You heard him. He's like Ace, too physical that he gets frustrated if problems can't be solved with fists. Good thing Luffy escaped some of that." She turns to Robin and coughs uncomfortably. "That was a good thing you told Luffy. Ace needs his brother right now."

"Yes, that was very wise." The Mayor agreed.

Robin nodded an acknowledgement at the compliment but felt too awkward to properly respond.

Makino looked around the clearing. "Robin-san, do you have enough clothes? Where is your luggage?"

Robin blinked. "…probably at the bottom of the ocean."

Makino stared at her. "…I'll… bring some by tomorrow, then. They'll be secondhand, though. Is there anything else you'd like?"

"Oh, no. I'll be fine, you don't need to bother." Robin reddened.

"It's no trouble at all. Are you sure?" She asked again, sincerely.

Robin hesitated. "Well… If it's not too much trouble… maybe some books?" She asked with a hopefulness she couldn't quite mask.

"You can read?" Dadan asked incredulously.

"Yes." Robin responded curtly, a bit offended despite herself.

Dadan raised placating hands. "Sorry, just didn't expect it. When Garp brought you in I thought you were some pirate criminal or something."

"I am." Robin responded. "And I'm a scholar."

"Oh."

Makino clapped her hands happily. "Well, maybe you can help me with the boys' schooling then! Ace has picked up reading pretty fast in the last few months but he has trouble with math. And Luffy… Well! He's still very young. Sabo is already at an excelled level in all his subjects, but he's always looking to learn more-"

"Makino!" Dadan interrupted.

Makino looked startled, then covered her mouth with a look of comprehension. "Oh…" Her shoulders slumped and her head bowed to cover her eyes as they started to water.

Dadan walked over and gave her a one-armed hug while she sniffled. Robin looked away, feeling awkwardly out of place.

Makino's breathing eventually evened out and she gave a great sigh and thanked the red-head. "Sorry. I'll bring by the clothes tomorrow then. See you then!" And she walked away.

Robin and Dadan watch her until she's out of sight in the woods before turning to each other. Dadan pulls a wrinkled package out of her pocket and lights a cigar. She sighs out a long cloud of smoke.

"Well, come on, I'm sure we have a broom closet or something you can use…"

* * *

 _ **Whew, this ended up a lot longer than I hoped. Yay! Hope it was worth that wait.**_

 _ **Thanks to Black' Victor Cachat for leaving all those reviews and getting me motivated to finish this. It helped a lot.**_

 _ **I don't have a whole lot to say here except they shouldn't have counted on Garp to keep a secret.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading! I'll try to edit this later.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Sorry this took so long.**_

* * *

Robin shrugged out of the marine recruit uniform and slipped on the oversized t-shirt and overalls Dadan had provided from an overstuffed wardrobe in the corner of the large, entry room. Robin grimaced at the musty smell of her borrowed clothes and absently picked at a small hole in the right sleeve, musing it was better than the uniform, and contemplated the tiny room she had been assigned. The large redhead hadn't been joking about a broom closet, she was barely able to extend her arms its width.

Robin let out a tiny sigh at the day's events, it was surely more emotional than what she had expected. In fact, nothing had gone how she expected, even though she hadn't thought she was expecting much. She didn't know if it was better or worse considering the promise she had made to Luffy and Ace's anger. Well, she would have time to figure it out.

That was another thing, too. She had never had been given 'time' to figure things out with certainty.

She felt a bit at a loss. Unbalanced. So far, no matter where she ended up, she knew the role she had been meant to play. Each of her… colleagues had made it clear what they expected of her. Ironically, it had made it abundantly easy for her to abandon them when their usefulness waned.

Now, though… She had never known what Garp wanted from her, only the vague request that she look after his grandchildren. Apparently his worries had been well founded, she mused bitterly.

But now, with the turn of events, she wasn't so sure what she was to do. Dadan's 'threat' had put her at ease but even that was not delivered with serious intent, just an attempt to get a reaction out of her. Besides, Garp had quickly shot it down, irritating her despite herself. And with Ace's rejection… Even her promise to Garp was compromised.

A small smile twisted her face as she realized how uncomfortable she was with the freedom she had been presented with. Had she become so comfortable with her life since O'Hara? Was there not simplicity in those constantly erected barriers and having certainty of constant vigilance?

I would take time to override those instincts.

She sighed again, feeling somewhat better.

Well, she wasn't going to get anywhere standing in a broom closet.

As Robin stepped out of her room, the front door was opened with a jerk and Ace stepped into the room. He was disheveled, leaves and twigs clinging to his clothes and hair, and covered in scratches; a fresh bruise starting to bloom on his left cheek.

Despite the few other people in the room that greeted him, Ace's eyes snapped to Robin right away.

Before she could offer her own greeting he had turned away with a snarl, bumping into Luffy on his way back out.

"Ace! Where are you going?" Luffy called after him, running to catch up.

Robin didn't hear the snappy reply, but Garp stooped in through the doorway and chuckled when he saw what had aggravated the ten year old. "Don't worry about it, he'll warm up to you."

Robin raised a brow at his certainty but decided not to comment on it. "I'm not sure what you want me to do here, if I can't get close to them."

Garp laughed, "I don't want you do anything, unless you want to. It's up to you now what you want to do with your life."

"Unless it's history."

He shrugged, "As long as you stay on this island and no one finds out about you, you can do anything you want." He amended.

Garp watched carefully as she frowned, looking somewhat troubled when she looked away, and he chuckled as he guessed where her thoughts were. "Anyway, I'm sure a genius like you will get bored without something substantial to occupy yourself with. I'll be sure to bring back plenty of books when I visit next."

Robin looked up sharply at the mention of books but quickly tried to suppress the excited spark in her eye, making Garp laugh. "Well, if you insist. How long are you staying, anyway?"

Garp shrugged, "Probably a few more days, I can't be gone for long or people will start to notice my absence." Robin nodded at the logic. "But! I'll have to make the most of my time and make sure the boys aren't straying from their training!" At this he slammed a fist into the palm of his other hand. "I better get going. Care to join us?" He added with a too-innocent smile.

She held up her hands, a chill running down her spine at his grin. "Thank you, maybe next time."

"Ah, shame. I'll hold you to that."

She grimaced as the door shut behind him. The other occupants of the room staring at her with impressed, if pale, looks.

* * *

Garp was right about one thing. Within a few days Robin was feeling herself going mad with boredom. She had already read through the books Makino had brought until they were memorized. She had taken to using an encyclopedia of local flora to collect herbs and wild fruits and vegetables, scolding Luffy when she caught him eating questionable mushrooms.

Of course, her housemates weren't very happy when she had first brought her contributions to dinner.

"Vegetables?! What do you take us for?"

"That's wuss food, silly girl!" One bandit boldly shouted from the back. They had all been quite wary of her from the beginning; unsure of her importance to Garp, reluctant to try and push her around because of her age. The collective agreement of antagonism seemed to have given them an outlet for their voices, though.

"Yeah! Wuss food!" Luffy mimicked, quelling with a sheepish smile as Robin raised an eyebrow at him.

"I see… Forgive me…" She said just loud enough to be heard above the rancor of jeers. She looked up with an apologetic smile. "I did not realize you all valued scurvy so highly."

The noise quickly subsided.

"What?" Someone asked blankly.

"Scurvy. It's usually a disease attributed to novice sailors, so I didn't expect to encounter it here but… If that's what you want." She shrugged and looked down at the basket of greens. "Personally, I find muscle weakness, bleeding gums, and rashes to be somewhat uncomfortable so I guess I'll be eating these alone…"

"Bleeding?"

"Rashes?"

She nodded, seemingly absently, as she sat in a corner and made a show of selecting a few vegetables and fruits to eat. "Oh, yes. Scurvy has quite an impressively diverse array of symptoms. Diarrhea, vomiting, anemia. Not to mention the more interesting consequences like reopening wounds, bleeding from your hair follicles, and teeth falling out in later stages!" She listed with a sunny smile. "But, of course, I'm sure you all were already aware of that."

They all stared at her with pale, horrified, faces; the room completely silent and filled with the scent of cooked meat.

Somewhere, someone moved to poke at their gums.

Dogra coughed uncomfortably and walked up to her, "Luffy and Ace are still growing, you know, I suppose we wouldn't be great role models if we didn't eat well ourselves. There's nothing for it, really." He picked up a couple carrots from the basket and held one out to Luffy as he took a bite of his own, grimacing at the sweetness of it. Luffy took it and sniffed it skeptically. Dogra then turned to the room and encouraged them to take what they could, saving their pride.

In the end, only Ace remained, stubbornly gnawing at his spitted meat bone and ignoring Robin completely. Dogra noticed however and attempted to persuade him to surrender his pride, only resulting in an aggravated growl.

"You know." Robin started loudly to Luffy, her voice carrying across the room. "Vegetables provide indispensable vitamins and minerals that help grow muscle."

"REALLY?" Luffy exclaimed, "So if I eat these I'll get stronger? What about training?"

"Oh, that helps too, but vegetables are just as important. If training and meat is the pirate crew of a healthy body, vegetables are the ship. You can't really have one without the other, can you?"

"Hmmm. I don't really understand! But a pirate crew needs a ship!" Luffy replied, spewing carrot and yam over the girl.

"Cover your mouth if you have to talk with it full, Luffy."

"FINE!" Ace stomped over to Robin, emitting a dangerous aura that make the bandits scoot out of his way. He maintained eye contact as he grabbed two fistfuls of random foods from the basket, continuing to glare at Robin murderously even as he blindly devoured the fruits and vegetables.

Robin managed to maintain a straight face as she maintained eye contact and a serene expression. She wanted to giggle at his grimace when he ate a tangerine whole, but stopped herself.

When he was done he wiped his mouth on his bare arm and raised his arms, gesturing triumphantly. "There! Are you happy?!"

She finally allowed a small smile. "Yes."

He huffed and stalked back to his side of the room.

Dadan guffawed in the ensuing silence, making Ace glare at her, but she glanced at Robin with an impressed smile and went back to her dinner, chortling.

Robin smiled to herself as the volume rose again to deafening levels, the bandits fighting over the remaining food, and Luffy continued sitting by her side.

 _Perhaps this won't be so bad after all_ , she thought.

* * *

Despite Robin's fears, Ace didn't seem to mind Luffy keeping her company during dinner, although he would occasionally glance over to glare at her.

They would go out to hunt as usual too, but Luffy no longer felt the need to ignore her when Ace was near. He waved cheerfully at her when they passed in the forest and when the boys returned home from hunting.

Ace seemed to have relaxed his stance on staying out as much as usual. Robin would sometimes catch them at the house two or three times a day with their spoils. He didn't scowl as harshly and didn't voice his distaste when Luffy called out to her when they passed. She could still catch him rolling his eyes though. It was unexpected, then, when the two returned home from training one day in equally stormy moods, scowling ferociously at each other as they gathered unused wood planks and sheets of corrugated roof panels into separate piles and slowly began to construct small dwellings.

Robin passed them with a fresh basket, hammering echoing through the clearing.

"Did something happen?" She asked Dadan, once she entered.

The woman grunted. "Another fight. They'll get over it." She dismissed.

Robin frowned, glancing out the window at the boys, but shrugged. She had gotten the sense that the brothers could get through anything together; they could be there for each other.

Much to everyone's surprise, the two did not reconcile, however. They finished their shacks, which they planned to live in to avoid living together, and refused to even speak to each other.

* * *

"Thank you for helping me with the picking, Luffy. I know it's not as exciting as your trips with Ace."

Robin walked beneath the gargantuan trees of the jungle, glancing over at the boy and smiling slightly. After a loud shouting match with his older brother the previous evening, he had loudly made a point of asking Robin if he could accompany her on her daily excursion for plants, deliberately in Ace's earshot. The older boy had stormed off with his pipe, spelling doom for any beasts that encountered the ten year old.

Luffy grunted noncommittally, visually deflated as he swung his walking stick about, prodding at bushes and tree trunks when he walked by.

"Do you want to talk about your disagreement?"

Luffy frowned at the ground and pouted. "Ace called me weak. And said my power is useless."

Oh. "I see…" She pondered that. She didn't have much contact with Ace up to that point, so she couldn't really say how sincere those words were… but- "You're very young, and you haven't had your abilities for very long; you have time to prove him wrong."

Luffy pouted, obviously it wouldn't come quickly enough.

She chuckled, "Devil Fruit powers are very versatile, I am still discovering uses for my own abilities. All you can do is practice."

"Sabo said the same thing…"

A pause. "He's right."

They were silent until they reached a patch of edible vegetation and began to cut at them with Robin keeping a close eye on Luffy so he wouldn't pick anything undeveloped.

"He made me mad."

Robin paused. "Ace?"

Luffy nodded, "He said… He said I would have rather he died instead of…" He divulged quietly.

Robin felt cold. Even by her standards, that was low. She felt a secondhand sting. "That… seems unfair. Why would he say something like that?"

Luffy shrugged, but looked conflicted. "I said Sabo was a good brother."

Ah.

Luffy paused and looked up at Robin, seeming to have realized something. "Was that bad? Did I hurt Ace's feelings? Ace… doesn't really talk about Sabo…"

She looked at him sadly. "I don't know, Luffy. People sometimes lash out when they are in pain, to try and distance themselves. To protect themselves."

"Why would hurting others make you feel better?"

Robin sighed and sat back on her heels, looking up at the canopy of leaves and branches. "Some people… it makes them feel more powerful, I suppose. That if they can influence someone else they can also control themselves? It also helps that it makes people less likely to interact with them, therefore lessening the chances of getting hurt themselves."

"But they'll be alone."

"Some people…" She swallowed. "Some people prefer being alone to getting hurt."

There was a long pause and Robin eventually looked over at the boy, meeting an expression of confusion and pain.

"I don't understand."

She smiled sadly at him. "People can only take so much pain before they need to protect themselves in any way they can…"

Luffy seemed to accept that somewhat as they finished their task and walked back to the house. Maybe not agree with it, but he accepted it.

"I'll tell Ace I'm sorry. For making him mad. I'm happy he's my brother." He beamed up at her.

Robin smiled and nodded. It was clear, whatever Ace's less than graceful social skills, Luffy thought the world of him.

By the time they returned with their spoils, it had started to get cloudy, storm clouds threatening to pour, and Robin was glad he had gotten them back before it started to rain.

"Ace!" Luffy shouted into the house as soon as he walked in, looking around and racing back out to check his shack.

"He hasn't been back yet, Luffy!" Dogra yelled after him, receiving a distant call of understanding. "He's probably still out hunting…"

Robin hummed agreement but then saw Luffy running off to the forest again. "Luffy!" She shouted, making him skid to a halt with a questioning expression. "It's about to rain! Maybe you should wait for him to come back!"

Luffy waved her off, however, "I'll be fine!" and disappeared into the trees.

Robin huffed in frustration, she could only hope they didn't get sick.

"You worry about Luffy an awful lot."

Robin turned to Dadan, sorting through a pile of questionably acquired merchandise with the other bandits.

"I suppose." She eventually replied, wary.

Dadan shrugged. "That's good, that's good. Another pair of eyes on the boys is welcome. God knows we don't have time to do it all the time!" Rancorous laughter. "Not sure how Garp expects you to keep up with them, but it's good to see you care, at the least."

Robin frowned; she felt a little underestimated. "He didn't tell you about me?"

Again, Dadan shrugged, "He didn't tell you about the boys, did he? Despite appearances he actually can be tactful at times."

"Oh…" Robin looked away, guilty feelings rising in her chest. "It doesn't bother you… It might be dangerous to keep me here. If the marines found out…"

"They're not gonna find out! No one here is going to tell them, we're too scared of Garp to say anything, and you seem too smart to willingly give yourself up. Nevermind accidentally."

Robin was unconvinced, she glanced at the rest in the room and she couldn't help but remember the countless people she had trusted to keep her safe but always ended up betraying her. Their faces blurred together at this point.

Dadan watched Robin a bit sadly, following her thoughts pretty accurately. There wasn't much she could do to reassure the young woman if she didn't trust them. She knew enough to realize it was a survival thing she had developed. And, she supposed, a group of bandits examining contraband didn't give off the trustworthiest vide despite their improvements over the past weeks.

"Well, putting that aside, how about you help us get these things sorted so we can sell it off?"

Robin grimaced at the pile, "Where do you even sell this? Or find it? Windmill village didn't seem to be a particular trading port."

Dadan side-eyed her, "Windmill isn't the only town on Dawn Island. The Goa Kingdom is on the other shore, past the Grey Terminal."

Robin blinked, "'The Goa Kingdom'?" The name rang a bell, but not in a good way. Once again, she wished she had gotten more information out of Garp about her new situation.

Dadan nodded, "I don't think the boys have been back since… Sabo's death, but I'm sure it won't keep them away indefinitely. Their favorite pastime was raiding the city; dine n dashing and whatnot."

Robin suddenly felt much more concerned.

She looked towards the forest, where Luffy had ran, and realized with a start that it had started to rain. She pursed her lips in concern but conceded that they could take care of themselves for now.

Robin took a seat beside Dadan, picked up a rusted pot and a rag, and began to wipe at the grime. Dadan watched her, surprised, for a moment before shrugging and going back to her own work.

They continued in silence for quite some time, moving on to silverware, broken pieces of china, a blood-soaked pocket watch that made Robin raise her brows, and even an extremely old journal Robin refused to let go of until she got a good look at it.

Thunder started to light the windows, adding to the racket of rain and wind lasing the house and Robin resolved to drag the children inside as soon as they got back, no matter the protest. She wasn't going to let them sleep in those shacks if they were even still standing. The house shook with another crack of thunder that made Robin doubt the integrity of this house, too.

But at the tail of the thunder's cacophony, Robin discerned something else. She sat up, setting her work aside and staring at the door.

Dadan noticed, "What-"

The door slammed open then, sending a gust of wind through the room. A chill filled the room that had nothing to do with the weather, however.

Ace stumbled into the room, soaked through and covered in mud, scratches and, disconcertingly, blood.

"Please help! It's Luffy!"

Dadan was out of her seat and across the room before he had finished. "What happened?! Dogra! Get over here! Get all that junk out of the way! You! Get the medical supplies! Hurry!" She shot off in quick succession before helping to lower the younger boy to the thin mat someone had quickly found. Immediately the pad was soaked with his blood and they got a good look at the three massive tears across his chest and stomach.

"DOGRA, HURRY!" Dadan yelled.

Robin was snapped out of her stupor at the noise and jumped up. She ripped off her button-up overshirt and wadded it up, shoving into Dadan's hands. It was probably the cleanest thing in the house at the moment. "Try to staunch the bleeding."

She ran to the kitchen and grabbed as many pots as she could and shoved them into the hands of the nearest frozen bandit. "Fill these with water. As clean as you can get it. Quickly!" She turned back to Dadan, Dogra having replaced her in pressing into the wounds. Luffy was unconscious, which both relieved and worried Robin, and he was abnormally pale. He was still covered in rainwater so she grabbed a couple dishtowels to try and dry him as best she could. Dogra glanced at her at her approach.

"Do you have any medical knowledge?"

She paused, "Some, most of it only theoretical, though." She had switched into a distant frame of mind, allowing her to function properly in high-stress situations, but she still felt a sense of unease at the holes in her knowledge.

"It'll have to be enough. We have to clean this before we can stich him up. Not to mention the blood loss… It's going to be a long night."

And it was.

* * *

Sometime in the early hours, as they finished bandaging and tucked Luffy under fresh blankets. Some color had returned to his face, thankfully, even though he obviously wasn't sleeping soundly.

Robin sat back on her heels, watching him for a moment and feeling the adrenaline slowly seep from her system. She startled at a touch at her arm, seeing Dadan watching her with concern.

"Why don't you go sit down? You should both eat something now that you're done."

Robin nodded, glancing once more at the small boy before stumbling to her feet over to the opposite wall and sliding down it to sit beside Ace.

She sighed deeply, leaning her head against the wall and staring up at the ceiling. It was early morning now, they had all stayed up all night and she knew they would all crash soon from exhaustion.

The small sniff at her side had her glancing over at the ten year old. He hadn't moved all night from his spot, curled up with his face bowed against his knees. She noticed he was covered in dried blood, though. All over his arms and shirt, front and back. He _had_ carried Luffy on his back to the house, she remembered absently. She looked down at herself. She also had dried blood up to her elbows, as well as some stains on her undershirt and jeans.

As she held up her hands, she noticed the steadily strengthening tremble in them and frowned. She clenched her fists and rested them in her lap, once again staring up at the ceiling and trying to quell the rising emotion that was tightening in her throat. She took a few shallow breaths and let them out painfully slowly until she was sure her voice would be steady.

"He's going to be alright." She stated quietly.

Ace visibly flinched.

"He's going to be alright." She repeated, quieter.

Ace started to tremble.

She took another great breath and it left her shaky, but lighter. "He's going to be alright."

* * *

And he was.

It only took opening his eyes the next afternoon for Luffy to start chattering, demanding food and his hat before questioning his situation.

While he recovered, Robin would stay with him and talk, sometimes even quietly joined by Ace. After that frightening night Ace had become less cold towards her. He didn't glare at her when she was in his and Luffy's presence, but remained silent and wary. Robin didn't mind, whatever his experience she could understand that he would need time to accept her as nonthreatening.

She and Makino took the opportunity to catch the boys up on schooling when Luffy had recovered enough. Makino came by most days now to sit with Luffy while Robin, Ace, and the bandits went about their daily routines.

Luffy was up in half the time they believed he actually needed, giving them a fright, but Robin theorized it had something to do with his devil fruit, having altered his physiological makeup and sped up his ability to heal.

Ace was a little less delicate, stating Garp had hit him so many times his body was used to healing. Robin didn't quite agree with him but it was the first direct response she had gotten out of him, so she'd take it.

* * *

 _ **I wish I had more medical knowledge to flesh out that section with Dogra and Robin… -_-**_


End file.
